VGX Pharmaceuticals Announces Publication In Molecular Therapy Regarding The Company's GHRH Gene Therapy Product

VGX Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VGX) and its affiliate, VGX Animal Health Inc. (VGXAH), announced the publication in Molecular Therapy, the official journal of the American Society for Gene Therapy (nature/mt/index.html), of their work related to the Company's leading Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) gene therapy product for the treatment of cancer-related anemia in companion dogs with spontaneous malignancies (Bodles-Brakhop et al., Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled Plasmid GHRH Trial for Cancer-associated Anemia in Dogs, Molecular Therapy, 2008, 16:862-870).


Cachexia and its associated disorders affect up to 5 million people in the United States alone and represent common complications of cancer, aging, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, chronic kidney or heart failure. Prevalent cancer-associated conditions such as fatigue and poor quality of life may be induced by the cancer itself or by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, with anemia being one of its leading causes in patients. Similar conditions and symptoms are shared by humans and animals alike.


In the published study, VGX researchers tested the use of a non-viral DNA molecule, called a plasmid, which encodes for growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) in 55 companion dogs with spontaneous malignancies and anemia receiving a cancer-specific treatment in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Dogs received a single, low dose of plasmid or placebo, delivered intramuscularly by the Company's CELLECTRA® constant current electroporation device. Plasmid-treated dogs had increases in all red blood cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit. Post-hoc analysis of the GHRH-treated group showed that responder dogs survived significantly longer than non-responders and controls. In addition, quality of life, as defined by 10 different parameters, improved dramatically with treatment including increases in appetite and decreases in complications of cancer-related therapies, such as diarrhea and vomiting.


"Publication of this study stresses the potential of VGX technology to improve human and animal health," stated Dr. J. Joseph Kim, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are optimistic that our novel GHRH programs will significantly expand the treatment options for cancer patients."


VGX Pharmaceuticals is waiting for approval from the Food and Drug Administration to study the GHRH treatment (VGX-3200) in humans. VGX Animal Health also plans to develop this product for companion dogs and cats.


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